Fall Down Get Up x3

The Orthodox among us will recognize the title. There is general acknowledgment that in our spiritual lives we tend to fall down and get up many times. We commit the same old transgressions again and again and again. We are genuinely sorry, and do try to repent, but we recognize that we probably will fail [...]

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Pulling Back

The Ol’ Curmudgeon had an angioplasty (stent placed in his heart) on February 25. He was feeling miserable for about 2 months before he finally admitted he needed some help. Following the angioplasty, he was feeling much better. On March 24, he had his post-procedure appointment with the cardiologist, and was given a full release [...]

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St. Ephraim the Syrian

St. Ephraim (Ephrem) the Syrian gave us the prayer said more than any other in Great Lent:
O Lord and Master of my life
Take from me the spirit of sloth faintheartedness, lust of power and idle talk.
But give rather the spirit of Chastity, Patience, Humility and Love to Thy servant.
Yea, O Lord and King,
Grant me to [...]

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New Year’s Eve 2008

Most of us do at least some looking back (retrospecting) around the end of the year. What went wrong, what went right, what do we want to change in the new year, and will we really carry through with those changes?
We mostly don’t do that unless there were some real BIG disasters. Generally, the Ol’ [...]

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The Icon of the Mother of God, named “Prosperess of Loaves”

The Icon of the Mother of God, named “Prosperess of Loaves” (“Sporitel’nitsa Khlebov”), was written at the blessing of the starets-elder of the Visitation Optina wilderness monastery, the priest-schemamonk Amvrosii (Ambrosii) (23/XI/1812 – 10/X/1891). Father Amvrosii, a great Russian ascetic of the XIX Century, was ardent with a childlike faith towards the Mother of God. [...]

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October 14 / 25 St. Cosmas the Hymnographer

St. Cosmas the Hymnographer, bishop of Maiuma (787)
Commemorated on October 14
He was from Jerusalem. An orphan, he was adopted into the family of St John of Damascus (commemorated December 4). He became Bishop of Maiuma, a city on the coast of Palestine, which was later named Constantia. Like his adoptive brother he [...]

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Oct 18 (Oct 1 old style) The Protection of Our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary

The Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos
“Today the Virgin stands in the midst of the Church, and with choirs of Saints she invisibly prays to God for us. Angels and Bishops venerate Her, Apostles and prophets rejoice together, Since for our sake she prays to the Eternal God!”
This miraculous appearance of the Mother of God [...]

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O Pure Virgin

“O Pure Virgin”
by St. Nectarios of Aegina

Tone 5
(A, B, and C refer to the three distinct melodies within the hymn.)
(A) O pure and virgin Lady, / O spotless Theotokos: Rejoice, O unwedded Bride!
O Virgin Queen and Mother / O dewey fleece most sacred: / Rejoice, O unwedded Bride!
(B) O height transcending heaven above / O [...]

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Midnight Song to the Most Holy Mother of God -

I sing thy grace, O Sovereign Lady, and pray to thee to grace my mind. Teach me to step right in the way of Christ’s commandments. Strengthen me to keep awake in song and dispel the dream of despondency. Release me, bound with bonds of sin, O bride of God, by thy prayers. Guard me [...]

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Prayers by the Lake #7

Would that I could make musicians out of stone, and dan­cers out of the sand of the lake, and minstrels out of the leaves of all the trees in the mountains, so that they might help me glorify the Lord-and so that the voice of the earth might be heard amidst the choirs of angels!
The [...]

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HELP!! Please Pray for the Preservation of Monastery in Platina CA!

News Release:
Tuesday, June 24, 2008 10:51 a.m.
Wild Fires threaten Saint Herman of Alaska Monastery
in Platina, California
Prayer Request
His Grace Bishop Maxim of the Western American Diocese urges all of our Orthodox faithful to offer prayers for the protection of the St. Herman of Alaska Serbian Orthodox Monastery in Platina, California. Wild fires are quickly approaching the [...]

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A Disappointing Bright Week -

I was hopefully looking forward to at least attending one of the Liturgies of Bright Week. Any weekday Liturgies are a little shorter (and less populated) than Sunday liturgies. During Bright Week, the Beautiful Doors remain open, the Deacon Doors remain open, the Curtains are open, all the lights are on, At the end of [...]

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From the 55 Beatitudes of St. Ephraim of Syria

St. Ephraim of Syria’s 55 Beatitudes # 48 – 55:
Blessed the one who has kept the mastery of his eyelids and has not deceived himself with either mind or senses with regard to the skin of the flesh that after a little while [...]

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Prayers by the Lake – LXIV

How marvelous is the true Son of God! The One who is not of shadow but of light. The One who represents the existent Triad and not the nonexistent triad.
How He has supported His wisdom with blessed virginity and powerful light, like the dome of a church with walls of marble!
The Dominions, Powers, [...]

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A Blank Page -

What is it about a blank page that makes my mind go blank? I think of so many things to publish here when I’m NOT sitting here trying to get my blog entry done on time!!
Yes, I keep a folder full of “ideas,” and I have some sites bookmarked for memes and things, but none [...]

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Daily Disciplines – -

In the Orthodox Church, we have a very orderly, disciplined approach to worship – despite the glorious disorder of the services.
Each day of the week has its own significance and special prayers and hymns. Prayers and hymns are recited and chanted pertaining to the commemoration of each day. This cycle is not based on a [...]

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O Christ, the ocean of our forgiveness . . .

O Christ, the ocean of our forgiveness,
allow me to wash off
in Thee
the dirt I am clothed in,
so that I may become resplendent
in the raiment of Thy holy light.
May I be covered with the cloud of Thy hidden glory,
full of secret mysteries.
May the things which divert me
from gazing upon Thy beauty
not be visible to me.
May wonder [...]

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A Hymn at Night, After Failure to Keep Vow – St. Gregory Nazianzen

A HYMN AT NIGHT, AFTER FAILURE TO KEEP VOW.
eyeusamhn se thn alhqeian, loge,
(Iambic trimeter.)
O Thou, the Word of truth divine!
All light I have not been,
Nor kept the day as wholly Thine;
For Thou dark spots hast seen.
The day is down: night hath prevailed:
My Lord I have belied;
I vowed, and thought to do, but failed;
My steps did [...]

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Admonitory Address to a Virgin – Gregory Nazianzen

Gregory Nazianzen.
ADMONITORY ADDRESS TO A VIRGIN.
Parqene, numfe Cristou,
(The Greek is of varied metre, arranged in lines of generally seven
syllables each.)
O bride of Christ on high,
Thy Bridegroom glorify!
Always thyself keep pure,
In word and wisdom sure,
That bright with Him all-bright
Thou e’er mayst dwell in light.
Far better spouse is He
Than earthly spouse could be:
Thy union happier far
Than mortal [...]

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The Blackout – -

This morning we awakened to a major power outage. Don’t know how extensive, but emergency utilities said it was “widespread” and would not be back on for 2-4 hours.
So I sit here with candles on the buffet, the icons on the walls catch the light and seem to glow in a way they don’t with [...]

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